Lessons Learned:1)It can happen to anyone, at any time. NO EXCEPTIONS. PERIOD.
Next
time I read about someone claiming he already lives at his Bug Out
Location and doesn’t plan on ever bugging out I’ll buy a plane ticket,
fly wherever he lives and tattoo on his forehead “YOU CANT LIVE AT YOUR
BUG OUT LOCATION”. By definition, a Bug Out Location is a place where
you go when your main place of residence is compromised and no longer
viable. The moment you are living there, it no longer counts as an
alternative place to go to because it has now become the place where you
are living. This is just as ridiculous as people that believe they
don’t need to worry because they already left the city which will
succumb to zombies in the coming apocalypse. Fire doesn’t care that you
live in the forest or in nice suburbs or the middle of the city. As long
as it finds fuel it will burn it down, rural or not. Forest fires
spread with terrible speed, same happens in dry grasslands and bushes.
Floods don’t care either. No matter where you live and how good your
home setup is, there’s always the chance of one disaster or another
forcing you to bug out so you need to plan for it.2)You may have days, hours, or seconds
Sometimes
you have days or several hours to plan and carry out your evacuation.
Sometimes it’s a matter of minutes, seconds and sometimes you don’t make
it out at all. You need to have a plan for this spectrum of
possibilities. What do you do if all you manage to do is escape the
burning house with nothing but the clothes on your back, which may as
well be your underwear in the middle of winter. What do you grab if you
have a minute or two? What do you throw in the trunk of your car if you
have a bit more time?3)You may be able to go back home in a matter of hours, days or never.
You
may be evacuating due to an approaching storm and after it clears you
may be back home the following day… or the storm turns into a massive
flood and completely destroys your entire neighbourhood killing anyone
that stayed and leaving your with nothing at all to go back to. The same
can be said of a fire, which leaves you with nothing but a patch of
charred dirt and ashes.4)Have your kit organized and ready to go.
Don’t
have a 120L rucksack ready to invade Iraq as your only Bug Out Bag.
Organize your gear in layers. Have a bigger BOB but also have a smaller
one in case you cant carry your huge backpack plus five tons of food and
ammo. Its important to keep a small bag, fanny pack or satchel (VIP
Bag) with your important documents, cash, maybe a handgun. The idea is
to keep it in your safe and if nothing else, you take this smaller bag.
Recently a grandmother drowned in Texas along with her four grandkids
during a flash flood. She couldn’t even make it out of the house garage.
I doubt she would have been able to carry 100 lbs of gear. Maybe you
have to help others evacuate, maybe there’s wounded or hysterical
people, maybe you are hurt yourself. If you have just seconds to escape
you may or may not be able to carry a small bag. What this gives you is
options to work with, but you need to plan and organize this ahead of
time.5)Have your vehicle ready to go at all times.
Your
car must work. It may be a matter of life or death. You better have
enough gas to make it out of there as well. This too can be a matter of
life or death even with a perfectly functional vehicle. The lesson here
is, refill your tank when its 1/3 or ¼ capacity, but also keep fuel
ready at hand. Not in your uncles farm or your cabin in the woods, but
ready to go in your current place of residence. Keep your car’s kit in
order. It may be all you have left if your home is destroyed. Extra
clothes, some food, water, first aid kit, USB and copies of important
papers. Don’t forget a phone charger and maybe keep a spare dedicated
phone in your vehicle.
FerFALFernando “FerFAL” Aguirre is the author of “The Modern Survival Manual: Surviving the Economic Collapse”and “Bugging Out and Relocating: When Staying is not an Option”.

1 comment:

Anonymous
said...

Point #4 - if there is threat of evacuation, having your vehicle already pre-loaded with fuel cans (if necessary) and your bags already in there is well worth the effort. Already have your necessary documents packed up and ready to leave.

Great point made on having a car charger or two kept in car - you just never know how badly you will need to communicate and have your phone go dark.

About Me

Camping Survival

Fish Antibiotics

Subscribe To

My email:

ferfal308@hot (remove) mail.com

Guys, unless specifically told not to, I'll post the reply here in the blog so everyone can read it.I'll just leave the first name, and remove the last name, email or any other specific information for privacy reasons.Thanks

Leatherman Charge Ti

Fenix Lights

I love this light. Runs on a single AAA and is capable of big boy lumen output (80 lumens) in a keychain package. Also has low and mid mode for longer runtime.
Fenix PD20
Single CR123 cell. 6 modes including 180 lumen turbo mode.
General Mode: 9 lumens (35hrs) -> 47 lumens (6.5hrs) -> 94 lumens (2.6hrs) -> SOS
Turbo Mode: 180 lumens (1hrs) -> Strobe
15 days of survival use (2 continuous hours per day on the lowest setting)

Thanks for the Positive Reviews!

Energency gadget... on steroids.

Asus Eee 1005HA

Basic Door/Window Alarm

Emergency gadget

Both tool and weapon, just the right size

Straight edge makes it easier to sharpen, + tougher tip

Gorilla Tape

By all accounts and reviews I’ve read so far, it truly is “The toughest Tape on the Planet”

Transportation

I talked about these some time ago in an article, remember someone asked where to get one.
"Alternative Transportation"
Just found one reasonably priced and with excellent reviews in Amazon.

Best Folder

Emergency blankets. I Have several of these around.

Katadyn water filter

for the kits

and food ...

Got to have water: Klean Kanteen Stainless Steel

Moleskine, the ultimate little black cover notebook :)

Fenix L0D-CE. Perfect keychain light. 80 Lumens in a single AAA

Nice combo. The Soldier is an excellent product.

Sabre Red OC spray

Made in USA
This is the brand I use and always have one in my bag and car. ( same brand used by NYPD)
My wife keeps one in her purse too.
Sabre Red Tear Gas
Sabre Red for ladies
You guys have the coolest stuff up there.:)

Jack Bauer’s bag.:) I’d like to get one of these and try it out.

Fox OC Spray

Don’t have this one but it’s the hottest OC spray out there.
Someone once called it “bottled lava”
Pick your poison people, but do carry OC
1) Even if you carry a gun
2) SPECIALLY if you don’t carry a gun

Firesteel

Classic, and one of the few things I’d call a “must have” I own two of these.